Panel wall construction



March 17, 1959 H. N. DAvls, JR

y PANEL WALL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23, 195'? HUGHN.DAv\s,JR.

A Trakls/EY March 17, 1959 Filed Sepfc. 25, 1957 H. N. DAVIS, JR2,877,877

PANEL WALL CONSTRUCTION f BY ATTORNEY United States PatentI O PANEL WALLCONSTRUCTION Hugh N. Davis, Jr., Miami, Fla.

Application September 23, 1957, Serial No. 685,544

Claims. (Cl. 189-85) This invention relates to metallic buildingstructures and particularly to a prefabricated framework for securelyanchoring a plurality of relatively large metallic sheets to present asmooth uninterrupted surface having no projections such as rivets, boltsor nailheads.

The invention is primarily designed to provide a iinished surface, suchas that for forming exterior wall surfaces for buildings, swimmingpools, storage tanks and various other forms of shell forming means thatmay he quickly and easily assembled by prefabricated parts constitutinga framework and with the sheets being quickly and easily anchored to theframework in a permanent manner and with the entire assembly andanchoring of the sheets being accomplished on the exterior surfacewithout the necessity of the mechanics being obliged to reach behind theassembly at any time.

As an example, where the invention is to be employed in the forming ofswimming pools, the ground is first excavated to the required depth,after which the framework is assembled and connected to overlie thebottom and the side walls and with the framework comprising framingmembers and connectors and with the framing members being lixedlyriveted to the connectors so as to present a rigid structure afterwhich, the sheets of metal are engaged with the framework and theconnectors in a novel manner to be permanently connected in asubstantially water-tight manner after which, back-fill is preferablydisposed within the excavation to contact the rear surfaces of thesheets to prevent outward exing of the sheets under the weight of watercontained within the pool. such use, readily adapts itself to anysurface to be covered Where it is diicult, if not impossible to make anyconnections at the rear side of the framing.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be moreclearly apparent during the course of the Yfollowing description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like charactersof reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the severalfigures.

In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a face view illustrating the connection of four adjacentmetallic sheets to an assembled fragmentary portion of a fabricatedframework,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a composite perspective view of associated elements embodiedin the assembly,

Figure 5 is a transverse section through one frame member showing theinitial engagement of the wall forming sheets therewith,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating a second step ofassembling a clamping member with respect to the frame member and thesheets,

The device, while particularly adaptable for4 trating the final clampingengagement of the sheets with Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 5and 6 but illusrespect to the frame members,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a wedging pin employed in the clampingaction and,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a group of sheets in assembled relationwith respect to the fabricated framework.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates apreferably die-cast connector having right `angle leg portions 6 thatare of channel form. The central portion, indicated at 7 is slotted at 8and with the side walls of the slots being upwardly converging. Each.

of the leg portions 6 are apertured at 9 for a purpose to be presentlydescribed.

Adapted to be connected with the several leg portions 6, are a pluralityof framing members, indicated as a whole by the numeral 10. Members 10are generally rectangular in cross-section for engagement within thechannels andthe legs 6 to be flush with the top edges thereof. Themembers 10 are preferably extruded from4 aluminum or other desirablemetal having sucient rigidity and the members 10 are slotted along theirtops, as at 11. The side walls of the slots are upwardly converging froma bottom wall 12. The slots 11 and their converging side Walls 13 areidentical with and have mating engagement with the slots 8 of theconnectors 5 and at assembly, the slots 11 in effect are continuedacrossthe surface 7 of the connector. The terminal endsy of the frame members10 are apertured at 14 and with the apertures 14 having matingengagement with the` apertures 9 for the reception of bolts or rivets15, see particularly Figures 2 and 3. The connectors 5 and the severalframe members 1t) are assembled in the manner illustrated and with thespacing between the connectors 5 being calculated in accordance with thesize of sheets of metal 16 to be supported thereon. The sheets 16 havetheir marginal edges bent at a right angle to form connecting anges 17.

Means are provided to permanently lix the sheets with respect to theframe members and the connectors 5, comprising a plurality of lockingbars, indicated as a wholeby the numeral 18. Each of the locking barscomprise a head portion 19 and leg portions 20. The leg portions haveinner walls 21 that are beveled and converge down;y

Operation When a wall area is to be constructed, the several` connectors5 and framing members 10 are first assembled:

and Vrigidly connected together by the rivets or bolts 15. Where thedevice is to form a facing for various structures, such as buildings,the connectors S will obviously be connected at their predeterminedpoints of spacing upon the structure of the building. The several framemembers 1l) having been connected with the connectors 5, a skeletonframe has now been provided for the recep- .tion of the several sheets16 that constitutes the facing.

The sheets 16 are then engaged with the framework by disposing theseveral flanges 17 into the slots 11 and the slots 8 of the connectors.With the flanges 17 engaged within the slots, the bars 18 are thenforced between a pair of adjacent anges 17 to the full depth of theslots and with the head portion 19 being flush with the outer surfacesof the sheets, see particularly Figure 6. With The side walls the barsin position, the pins 24 are driven through the apertures 23, spreadingthe legs` 20 apart and bending the flanges 17 into rm contactingengagement with the walls 13 of the frames, thus securely anchoring thesheets with respect to the frame' members, one ybar 18 may extend acrossand through the slot 8 of the connector and with a right angle bar 19having abutting engagement therewith. The pins 24 are longitudinallyserrated so as to cut into the metal to have a permanent connectiontherewith against displacement. This procedure is con tinued until allof the sheets 16 are securely anchored with respect to the frame membersand the connectors 5. The pins 24 at their major depth of engagementhave their upper ends Hush with the heads 19 of the bars 18 and alsoflush with the faces of the sheets 16, presenting a smooth area free ofany projections. It may be found desirable to have the several jointstreated with a seal compound to insure against air or water leakage. Aspreviously stated, when the shell formed by the frame members of thesheets 16 are to be employed as the lining for a swimming pool or thelike, an earth back-fill will be disposed in back of the structure toprevent outward bulging or exing of the sheets.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an extremely simple andeasily installed surface covering has been provided. The frame members10 and the bars 1S may be extruded in a well known manner and with theseveral connectors being die-cast of suitable metal and whereby theentire assembly is prefabricated and assembled in a minimum of time andresulting in a very considerable saving in labor costs. As beforepointed out, with the frame work assembled, the entire group of sheetsmay be engaged with the frame and connected by the bars 18 and the wedgepins 24 without the necessity of any assembly Work behind the outersurface. The structure is cheap to manufacture, is strong, durable andhighly effective for the purpose indicated.

While the invention contemplates the use of a flat wall structure, itwill be clearly apparent that the frame members and the sheets may bearcuately formed to employ the device for curved sections, such as thecorners of swimming pools, cylindrical tanks or the skin covering ofaircraft and the device is in no sense restricted to a flat wall formingstructure.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A metallic panel wall construction comprising a framework consistingof frame members and connectors, the connectors having right angle andoppositely directed channelled leg portions, the frame members being ofchannel form and extending between the connectors and with the terminalends of the frame members engaging within the channelled leg portions ofthe connectors, means xedly connecting the frame members to theconnectors, the upper edges of the frame members being flush with theupper edges of the connectors, metallic panel forming sheets havingtheir marginal edges bent to a right angle to form peripheral anges, theanges of each sheet engaging within adjacent channels of the framemembers in spaced apart and parallel relation, a locking bar engagedwithin the channel of the frame members between the adjacent anges andhaving its outer side tlush with the surfaces of the panels, the lockingbars having bendable leg portions and wedges driven through the barsspreading the legs apart and bending the flanges in clamped engagementagainst the side walls of the channels, the said connectors having acentral body portion that is grooved at a right angle and with thegrooves conforming to and in alignment with the channels of the framemembers.

2. The structure according to claim l, wherein the channels of the framemembers and the grooves of the connectors have side walls that areupwardly converging and whereby the flanges when bent outwardly underthe inuence of the spreading apart of the leg portions of the lockingbars have interlocking engagement with the frame members and theconnectors.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the connectorshave right angled channelled leg portions and with thev said channelsbeing dimensioned to receive the ends of the frame members in usharrangement, the frame members having a riveted connection with the legportions of the connectors.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame members have anupwardly opening channel and with the channel having side walls that areupwardly converging, the channels of each frame member receiving thetlanges of adjacent panels in spaced apart relation, the spacing of theflanges corresponding to the thickness of the locking bars whereby thelocking bar readily ts therebetween, the spreading of the legs of thelocking bar forcing the flanges to conform to the angularity of the sideWalls of the channels.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking bars includea head portion and a pair of leg portions, the inner walls of the legportions being divergent upwardly to the head portion to form alongitudinally extending wedge-shaped opening for the full length of thebars, the said bars having their head por tions apertured at spacedapart points and pins driven through the apertures for simultaneouslyengaging the side walls of the leg portions for forcing the legs apart,the said pins having tapered end portions and with the sides of the pinsbeing longitudinally serrated for biting engagement into the walls ofthe apertures.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,082,241 Bennett June 1, 1937 2,378,163 Thomas June 12, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS 997,902 France Sept. 19, 1951 525,013 Belgium Dec. 31, 1953

